On an unforgettable night of football, Al-Khulood's English manager, Des Buckingham, expressed his immense joy at his team's valuable victory over Al-Shabab, one of the most prestigious clubs in the Saudi Professional League. This surprising win, achieved in the King's Cup competition, ignited the fans' enthusiasm and reaffirmed that surprises are an integral part of the magic of football.
During the post-match press conference, Buckingham revealed details of the achievement, expressing his deep gratitude to his players for their heroic performance. He said, “I’m very happy with this victory, which came on my birthday. We’ve worked incredibly hard in the lead-up to the match, so I thank the players for their tremendous effort and dedication on the pitch.”.
Background of the match and its importance in the King's Cup
This match holds special significance as it pits Al-Kholoud, a team competing in the Yelo First Division League, against Al-Shabab, a traditional powerhouse in the Roshan Professional League. The King's Cup is renowned for its rich history and its ability to produce major upsets, offering ambitious lower-division teams a chance to prove themselves against the established giants. This victory serves as a testament to Al-Kholoud's remarkable progress and its ambition to compete with the top clubs.
The impact of the win on the teams' journey
This victory is expected to have a significant positive impact on the Eternals, giving the players a huge morale boost to continue their hard work in their primary competition, the Yellow League, and strive towards achieving their dream of promotion to the professional league. This achievement also highlights the tactical work being done by coach Des Buckingham since taking over.
On the other hand, the early exit from the cup represents a major disappointment for Al Shabab and its fans, which could increase the pressure on the team to improve its results in the Roshan League. Buckingham emphasized that the work is not yet finished, indicating that his focus is on preparing all the players for the remaining stages of the season. He added: “We are working on preparing all the players to be ready for the rest of the season’s competitions, and we will continue the hard work we started together.”.
The English coach concluded his remarks by reaffirming his vision for the team's future, saying, "Ultimately, we are aware of the goals we aim to achieve, and we will work to find the right number of players to complete the training sessions and prepare perfectly." It is worth noting that Al-Kholoud won the match 1-0, securing their place in the next round of the tournament and eliminating Al-Shabab from the competition.
